The Gold Coast, Australia
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Gold Coast Queensland |
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Burleigh Beach with Gold Coast Skyline in distance
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 Gold Coast
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| Coordinates | 28°01′0″S 153°24′0″E / 28.01667°S 153.40000°ECoordinates: 28°01′0″S 153°24′0″E / 28.01667°S 153.40000°E | ||||||||
| Population | 638,090 (2016) (6th) | ||||||||
| • Density | 972/km2 (2,520/sq mi) | ||||||||
| Area | 414.3 km2 (160.0 sq mi) | ||||||||
| Time zone | AEST (UTC+10:00) | ||||||||
| Location | 66 km (41 mi) SSE of Brisbane | ||||||||
| LGA(s) | City of Gold Coast | ||||||||
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The Gold Coast is a city in the Australian state of Queensland, approximately 66 kilometres (41 mi) south-southeast of the state capital Brisbane and immediately north of the border with New South Wales. With a census-estimated 2016 population of 638,090, The Gold Coast is the sixth-largest city in Australia, making it the largest non-capital city, and the second-largest city in Queensland.
The first settlement in what is now South East Queensland was as a penal colony at Redcliffe. The Gold Coast region remained largely uninhabited by Europeans until 1823 when explorer John Oxley landed at Mermaid Beach. The hinterland's red cedar supply attracted people to the area in the mid-19th century. Later in 1875, Southport was surveyed and established and grew a reputation as a secluded holiday destination for wealthy Brisbane residents.
The Gold Coast region grew significantly after the establishment of the Surfers Paradise hotel in the late 1920s. The area boomed in the 1980s as a leading tourist destination and in 1994, the City of Gold Coast local government area was expanded to encompass the majority of the Gold Coast's metropolitan area, becoming the second most populous local government area in Australia after the City of Brisbane.
Nicknamed the Glitter Strip, today it is a major tourist destination with its sunny subtropical climate and has become widely known for its surfing beaches, high-rise dominated skyline, theme parks, nightlife, and rainforest hinterland. The city is central to the nations entertainment industry with some calling it "Australia's Hollywood", with television productions and a major film and music industry. The Gold Coast will host the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
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